July 2024

Kubilaw Noeraw Dhangal

The lines depicted on the dhangal (dugong) show the traditional cuts that are used by Maubiay. The name of this cut is kaiar rou dun and is used to ensure that all of the meat and precious fat is obtained and shared amongst the community.

The tear-shaped leaves surrounding the dhangal depict a species of seagrass that grows in certain seasons just beyond the shallows. The dhangal feed on the grass at night when the tide is high. The lines that join the dhangal show their grazing tracks. Each night the dhangal begins grazing where they finished the night before. This shows that even the dhangal know not too overgraze.

For traditional hunters, these grazing points show us where to begin our search.

Tipoti Nona

2024

Waru

Waru (sea turtle) is an important totem for Torres Strait people.

When the little brown jelly fish come down from the estuaries like a brown river thousands of turtles gather to feast on them. We don’t hunt the waru then because their intestines will be filled with jellyfish and they’re no good to eat.

When we do hunt waru we do it at particular times and places. We only catch the turtles that are on the reef.

As I worked on this piece I was also imagining all of the babies hatching on the sand and making their way to the sea to find their mothers.

I’ve watched my uncles carving and painting since I was a young fella. I began by carving wood and then turned to pearl shell before starting on lino. I love working in all mediums and telling the stories of my country.

Githalay Karumuy Azam Zarram

Zenadh-Kes families love to get together with family at our beach camps to go hunting for food in the mangroves.

The boys use the spear to hunt fish and crabs while the girls look for muscles and pipi shells.

Once we have gathered enough food for everyone we meet up back at camp, light a fire and cook a huge feast.

Jymahl Savage

2024

Sowurraw Pamay (Digging Wild Yam)

My image Sowurraw Pamay depicts a boy digging for wild yams. I lost my father when I was young so my mother brought us up. My older brother’s taught me the traditional men’s business like hunting and fishing, but I learnt all about gathering plants and their different types from my Mum. As I did this artwork I had a feeling like déjà vu of my mum, myself and two younger sisters one morning long ago. We were walking along and Mum pointed out some leaves and said “This is sowurr – dig there”. There and then she taught us how to identify when the sowurr were ready to be harvested. We dug everywhere she pointed and soon we knew exactly what we were looking for. I was confused though because I thought we were going fishing but here we were digging all of these yams and our arms were getting sore. After we had a good pile Mum told us to leave half to collect later, but we had to carry the rest to the beach. By the time we caught fish it was late afternoon and we were starving, we hadn’t eaten all day. We made a fire and Mum roasted the yams and the fish, it was so good and gave us strength to head back. When we got home we roasted the rest of the yams and made fish soup for the family. Laurie Nona 2024